A guided drawing meditation to help you break out of stale thought patterns and maybe even enter a state of flow. No talent required. How to Do This Practice: Grab a piece of paper and something to draw with. Find a comfortable place and start by taking some deep, mindful breaths Take a few moments to take in your environment. What colors, shapes, and objects do you see? Set a timer and for the next two minutes, draw something that caught your attention. Don’t worry about how it looks and try to...
Oct 31, 2024•8 min
We explore Día de los Muertos—Day of the Dead—as a ritual that nurtures community, imbues loss with meaning, and helps us process grief while also connecting through shared joy. Summary: We investigate how Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, rituals strengthen family ties and cultural identity, and learn about its evolution from a 3,000 year old practice to a global celebration. We look at key elements like the ofrenda and explore how commercialization—like Mattel’s Day of the Dead Barbie—ra...
Oct 24, 2024•27 min
Discover Humming Bee Breath (Bhramari Pranayama), a soothing breathing technique that uses gentle humming to promote relaxation and mental calm. It’s important to take a moment to pause and take a long, slow exhale as we navigate life. I n our podcast series, "Breathe Away Anxiety, " we explore ancient breathing techniques alongside cutting-edge research that reveals the powerful effects of slow, controlled breathing on our mental and physical well-being. We also share Happiness Break meditation...
Oct 17, 2024•4 min
Did you know humming can soothe your nervous system? We explore the stress-relieving power of Bhramari Pranayama, also known as humming bee breath, with marathon runner and activist Cal Calamia. Summary: Cal Calamia, the first nonbinary winner of the San Francisco Marathon, explores Bhramari Pranayama, an ancient yogic breathing technique that uses humming to promote relaxation. Dr. Gunjan Trivedi later explains how this "humming bee breath" enhances heart rate variability and why it’s key to ma...
Oct 10, 2024•23 min
Dr. David Spiegel guides you through cyclic sighing, a breathwork practice that helps reduce stress and anxiety. Summary: Dr. David Spiegel guides you through a simple yet powerful breathwork practice that can help reduce stress, anxiety, and boost overall well-being. Backed by Stanford research, this simple technique uses slow, controlled exhales to calm the nervous system and improve overall well-being. Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3dtwyk44 Time: 5 minutes Prepare: Find a comfortable seated...
Oct 03, 2024•9 min
It’s important to take a moment to pause and take a long, slow exhale as we navigate life. I n our podcast series, "Breathe Away Anxiety," we explore ancient breathing techniques alongside cutting-edge research that reveals the powerful effects of slow, controlled breathing on our mental and physical well-being. We also share Happiness Break meditations to guide you through these science-backed methods, helping you reduce anxiety and cultivate calm in your everyday life. We explore cyclic sighin...
Sep 26, 2024•24 min
Dr. Kristin Neff guides us in a self-compassionate touch exercise, and shares the many research-backed reasons to cultivate kindness towards oneself. Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/5xt3mz3h Summary: Dr. Kristin Neff guides us through various practices of self-compassionate touch, such as placing hands over the heart or cradling the face, to provide comfort and support. Research shows that self-compassion can improve mental and physical well-being and activates the parasympathetic nervous system...
Sep 19, 2024•10 min
We explore the science behind how self-compassionate touch can help us feel better about ourselves. Link to transcript: https://tinyurl.com/4nm5827f Summary: Brittany Luce, host of NPR's "It's Been A Minute," shares her experience with self-compassionate touch. She did it for 20 seconds, almost daily. to quiet her inner critic and foster self-compassion, especially during moments of stress or self-judgment. Researcher Eli Susman also shares the fascinating science behind this practice, and how d...
Sep 12, 2024•21 min
Letting go of our regrets can motivate us to improve and help us grow. Alex Elle, a certified breath work and writing coach, guides us through a meditation to forgive and accept ourselves. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/5dzrzm4z How to Do This Practice: 1. Take a deep breath. As you exhale, remember all you have done in the past that led you to come to be where you are today. 2. Remember that you are allowed to forgive yourself and let it go. Give yourself permission to release ...
Sep 05, 2024•11 min
What if you had a magic wand and could better the world in any way? What would you do? We explore a practice shown to help you find your purpose and feel more motivated, resilient and fulfilled in life. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/bp7wv7ft Episode Summary What’s your greater purpose in life? It’s a tough question, especially if you’re feeling uncertain about your future. In this episode, our guest explores that very question—and gets handed a magic wand with the power to make...
Aug 29, 2024•20 min
Our happiness is interconnected with the well-being of others, both people and the natural world. Step outside of you can, or imagine the outdoors from wherever you are now, and join us for a meditation that’ll help us be better stewards of the natural world. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/y3yfjsxa Episode Summary A meditation on how we can give back to the earth, led by indigenous activist, artist, and scholar Dr. Lyla June Johnston. How To Do This Practice Sit and take four de...
Aug 22, 2024•9 min
With the U.S. election swiftly approaching, the political divide can feel overwhelming. But what happens when we recognize the limits of our knowledge? Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/83a5wbkp Episode Summary When we internally acknowledge the limits of our knowledge, we create space to engage with other points of view. Allowing new perspectives in can help us better assess arguments, and decrease hubris. We will hear from psychologists Tania Israel and Daryl Van Tongeren about e...
Aug 15, 2024•24 min
Loving-kindness meditation, or “metta,” has its roots in Buddhist traditions that date back thousands of years. Studies show it can help nourish your capacity to express love, feel more satisfied in life, and enhance brain areas involved in emotional processing and empathy. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/5h3nfwjb Episode Summary Dacher guides us in a meditation that has been practiced over thousands of years. Together, we will mentally extend goodwill, kindness, and warmth towar...
Aug 08, 2024•6 min
Have you ever known you were dreaming while you were asleep? Our guests try practices to help induce lucid dreams, and we hear what they can teach us about consciousness. Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/yc6trmsh
Aug 01, 2024•21 min
Take a moment to appreciate the beauty and vastness of the sky. Dacher Keltner guides us through a practice of pausing to turn your gaze to the sky as a pathway to awe, creativity and wonder. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/yc5xfwp4 Practice: Go someplace where you feel safe and also have a nice view of the sky. First, focus on your breathing. Take a few slow inhales and even slower exhales. As you breathe in and out, relax your shoulders, your hands, and your face. On the next b...
Jul 25, 2024•7 min
Safe encounters with wildlife can deepen our appreciation for nature, and for other people. Craig Foster of “My Octopus Teacher” shares his transformational experiences with the animals of the ocean. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/murmd98b Episode Summary Venturing into nature and experiencing wildlife can be transformative. Safe interactions with wildlife encourage us to be more in relation with nature, and each other. In this episode, we hear from Craig Foster of “My Octopus T...
Jul 18, 2024•25 min
Just a few moments of tuning into nature can make you feel more inspired, connected, and less lonely. Let us guide you through a five-minute noticing nature practice — you don't even have to leave your neighborhood. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/aj34s585 How to Do This Practice: Find somewhere where you can focus on the natural environment, like your backyard. Take a few slow, deep breaths. Close your eyes or soften your gaze. Notice your belly and chest rise and fall as you br...
Jul 11, 2024•7 min
Exploring novel places and having diverse experiences is important to our well-being and can make us feel happier. This week, Ike Sriskandarajah, a producer for This American Life, takes us with him as he explores new parts of New York City. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/seystc6c Episode summary : Shaking yourself out of your normal routine can be hard–but studies show it’s worth it. Creating space for variety, novelty, and awe in our lives is essential for our well-being. Expl...
Jul 04, 2024•21 min
Connect to yourself and the land you stand on in under 10 minutes with this grounding practice led by Indigenous scholar Dr. Yuria Celidwen. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3at8hrsu How to Do This Practice: If possible, go outside and find some natural ground, like grass or dirt. If you're wearing shoes or socks, take them off and place the soles of your feet directly on the ground. Bring your attention to the earth beneath you. Allow it to hold you, paying attention to how it fe...
Jun 27, 2024•10 min
Everyday activities, such as cleaning and gardening, can be sources of joy and opportunities for mindfulness. This week, our guest shares his experience practicing mindful sweeping on the temple stairs in Kyoto, Japan with Shoukei Matsumoto, a Buddhist monk. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3r6ju2wh The Science of Happiness is now Instagram, and we'd love for you to follow us! You can find us at @ScienceofHappinessPod . We're going to go behind the scenes of our episodes, and shar...
Jun 20, 2024•23 min
Last week on The Science of Happiness, we discussed the scientifically proven health benefits of the ancient Chinese practice of qigong with Harvard psychologist Peter Wayne. This week, we practice a standing meditation, with qigong master Sherry Zhang. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3t5wdexe How to Do This Practice: Take a moment to stand upright with your feet together and take a few deep breaths. Have your eyes looking forward. Soften your knee. Gently shift your weight onto ...
Jun 13, 2024•6 min
Studies show qigong can strengthen your body and mind, and reduce cortisol levels. We explore this Chinese meditative movement practice that dates back over 4,000 years. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/2ywsck4e Episode summary : Finding calm in your day to day life can be stressful, especially in a world that seems to be moving at such a rapid pace. Your life can change in an instant– and it can be really difficult to get yourself on your feet again. On this episode of The Scienc...
Jun 06, 2024•23 min
Here's a favorite of ours: visualize your best possible self and tap into your inherent enough-ness with this guided meditation by Justin Michael Williams. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/5xm9ckff How to Do This Practice: Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and visualize your ideal future self, the person of your dreams you’ve always wanted to be. Try noticing as many details as you can: What color are you wearing, how do you feel, what are you doing, is anyone with you? An...
May 30, 2024•8 min
She's the world's leading animal behaviorist and an autism advocacy leader. Guest Temple Grandin shares what kind of support systems led her to success, and we hear about how community, and lack thereof, affects our health and ability to succeed. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/y82vw4dv Episode summary: Having strong relationships is vital to our well-being. We tend to be happier and healthier when we’re involved with community. Today’s guest is the world-famous scientist Temple ...
May 23, 2024•17 min
Experiencing awe can help us slow down and connect to the world around us. So how can we harness the power of this feeling? Host Dacher Keltner leads us in a colorful meditation to bring about awe. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/3e9cyky5 Practice: Please find a space, either inside or outside, where you can take a moment and pause and look slowly at a scene in front of you. Settle into a pattern of deep breathing and ease. Really focusing on how that pattern of inhalation and ex...
May 16, 2024•6 min
Hearing birdsong can help us feel less anxious , recover from stress faster, and even reduce muscle tension ... but can it help us fall asleep? Drew Ackerman of Sleep With Me podcast listens to recordings of birdsongs to see if it'll help with insomnia. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/5n7sxjtb Episode summary : Drew Ackerman, aka Scooter of Sleep With Me Podcast, has always struggled to get to sleep. Even as an anxious kid, worries would keep his mind churning as the night wore o...
May 09, 2024•19 min
Pilina is an indigenous Hawaiian word, or concept, that describes our deep interconnectedness. Harvard Clinical Psychology Fellow Jo Qina'au guides us through a contemplation of our profound interrelationships. Link to Episode Transcript: https://shorturl.at/npAM9 How to Do This Practice: Pilina comes from the indigenous Hawaiian language and culture. Pilina means connection, or interconnectedness. Settle into a comfortable position and observe your breath. Visualize someone to whom you feel mea...
May 02, 2024•10 min
Thinking about happy memories activates reward centers in our brains, and can help us feel more connected and accepted. Palestinian-American poet Naomi Shihab Nye discovers the joy-bringing power of recalling her good childhood memories. Link to Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/2r63e6tn Episode summary : Whether it’s news notifications or work emails, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the stresses of our time every moment of every day. But what if there was something we could do to rekindle the gr...
Apr 25, 2024•20 min
A walking meditation led by 10% Happier Host Dan Harris How to Do This Practice: Begin walking. Bring your awareness to the present moment, noticing sights and sounds around you. When your mind wanders to worries or other thoughts, gently bring yourself back to what you notice around you. See if you can notice the sensations in your leg as you take each step. Continue walking this way as long as you wish. Transcript: https://tinyurl.com/yc2kpzmy Today’s Happiness Break host: Dan Harris the host ...
Apr 18, 2024•7 min
Finding ways to bend tasks toward your strengths and passions can make you happier, more productive and find more meaning in your life — no matter your job. Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/4ky325rs Episode summary : When the poet and former professor Susan Glass first retired, she stacked her days with so many volunteer gigs and passion projects, she felt like she was working harder than ever before. Now, she wants to prioritize living a life of meaning and enjoyment. Susan tried...
Apr 11, 2024•16 min
